Apparatus for removing obstructions from street-car tracks



(N0 Model.)

A G. NAGEL. APPARATUS FOR REMOVING'OBSTRUGTIONS FRO-M STREET OAR TRACKS.No. 442,994. A Patented Dec. 16,1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES NAGEII, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING OBSTRUCTIONS FROM STREET-CAR TRACKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,994, dated December16, 1890.

Application filed August 7, 1890, Serial No. 361,349. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES NAGEL, residing at Pittsburg, in the countyof Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for Removing Obstructions from Street-Car Tracks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings; which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to an improved means for removing obstructions fromthe front of street-cars; and it consists in a spiral-shaped revolvingsweep located at an angle at the front of the car, a platform secured tothe car in rear of the revolving sweep, and a means for rotating thesweep from one of the axles, together with certain other details ofconstruction and combination of parts, as will be fully set forthhereinafter.

In the-accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improveddevice. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

To put my invention into practice with a street or other car I), I format the front of the same a platform a, which extends in a diagonalmanner across the entire front of the car I) and is provided at eitherend with a fender c, constructed of wood or of a thin sheet-iron. Thisplatform a is hollowed or dished at the center, so that obstructionsthrown onto the same will not roll off. At the front of this platform ctand projecting below and above the same is a spiral-shaped roller (Z,the webs of which are preferably of rubber or other like material. Thisroller d is mounted on a shaft 2 in suitable bearings f,

and is also arranged diagonally across the front of the car tocorrespond with the platform a. Attached to this shaft 6 is a gearwheelg, which meshes with another 71, rig-' idly secured to the forward axlei of the car.

In operation, when the car is in motion, the gear-wheel g It drives theroller cl, and should the latter meet with any obstruction, such as asmall child, the same will be lifted by the webs of the roller (Z andthrown upward on the platform a. Small objects, if not thrown onto theplatform a, will be moved along the roller (Z and finally thrown off thetrack and away from the Wheels.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. The herein-described apparatus for removing obstructions fromstreetrailways, consisting of a spiral roller d, arranged diagonallyacross the front of the car, a platform a, located at the rear of theroller (1, and suit able gear-wheels g h, connecting the rollershaft 6with one of the axles c' of the car, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a car, of the platform arranged diagonallyacross the front of the car, and the revoluble sweep arranged in frontof the platform and geared to one of the axles of the car, said sweepbeing provided with the flexible spiral web, substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto affix my signaturethis 6th day of May, A. D. 1890.

CHARLES NAGEL. [n 8.]

In presence of M. E. HARRISON, A. A. HEINER.

